Campus Construction Director

About VIRTUS

VIRTUS Data Centres is a leading European data centre developer and operator delivering secure energy-efficient and flexible infrastructure for the growing demands of cloud AI and digital services. With an established UK presence and a growing footprint across Europe including Germany and Italy VIRTUS is investing in next-generation AI-ready infrastructure at scale. Our values are Clarity & Quality Accountability Customer Commitment Purposeful Innovation and Capability & Growth.

Job Summary

The Campus Construction Director is accountable for the safe predictable and integrated construction delivery of a multi-MW-scale data centre campus in Germany. The role converts the approved campus strategy design commercial plan and master programme into coordinated building infrastructure utility commissioning and RFS/handover outcomes across multiple concurrent phases.

Operating as the senior construction leader onsite you will lead Senior Project Managers General Contractors consultants specialist contractors and key vendors. This role complements the VP of Construction and Senior Construction Director - Europe by translating regional standards and executive direction into disciplined campus execution transparent reporting and timely escalation.

This is a highly visible leadership role requiring strong programme management stakeholder management and commercial awareness. You will be expected to identify risks and delays early drive corrective action and provide clear timely reporting to senior management.

You will act as the senior delivery point of contact onsite ensuring the campus programme progresses safely efficiently and to the required quality cost and schedule.

Duties and Responsibilities

Campus & Programme Leadership

The successful candidate will be comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels setting the direction to deliver the overall campus while maintaining sufficient visibility of day-to-day delivery to identify issues before they become programme-critical.

Take end-to-end construction accountability for the assigned campus including phased data hall delivery central infrastructure substations utilities external works and shared systems.

Lead the campus construction organisation and coordinate Senior Project Managers package leads General Contractors consultants OFCI/CFCI vendors and specialist contractors.

Implement clear governance provide decision rights delegated authorities hold PMs accountable for reporting standards against recognised project controls methods and escalation routes.

Own the integrated campus construction plan and actively manage cross-building utility procurement commissioning and customer dependencies.

Maintain strong field visibility and intervene early where safety quality cost schedule or interface performance is at risk.

German Permitting Authorities and Compliance

Coordinate construction in compliance with German planning building-control environmental and operational permit conditions including BImSchG-related obligations where applicable.

In conjunction with the VP of Construction maintain effective interfaces with the permitting team authorities utilities fire authorities inspectors and appointed German design and supervision functions.

Incorporate permit conditions approval dependencies inspections and evidence requirements into the programme and work-package plans.

Work effectively within German contracting and professional-services frameworks including BGB VOB/B and HOAI interfaces where adopted supported by Virtus legal team.

Track energy-efficiency renewable-energy waste-heat noise emissions water and environmental requirements relevant to the campus.

Wellbeing Health Safety and Environment

Promote and maintain VIRTUSs commitment to safety quality and operational excellence.

Work closely with Health & Safety Quality Commissioning and Operations teams to ensure safe and compliant delivery.

Provide visible safety leadership and ensure high-risk activities are properly planned coordinated and supervised.

Ensure compliant logistics permit-to-work lifting temporary works energisation and emergency arrangements are in place with relevant stakeholders.

Monitor performance close actions and embed lessons learned with HSE specialists and delivery partners.

Incorporate applicable German occupational safety environmental and working-time requirements into execution planning.

Ensure all delivery partners comply with VIRTUS standards site requirements and applicable German legislation.

Programme Controls and Interface Management

Own the campus master construction programme and challenge logic productivity assumptions float constraints and progress measurement.

Ensure robust programme controls are in place across the campus.

Identify critical and near-critical paths long-lead equipment interfaces access constraints and utility milestones.

Require credible mitigation and recovery plans with named owners dates and verified closure.

Integrate schedule cost risk change procurement design maturity commissioning readiness and handover data into one delivery view.

Design and Technical Coordination

Embed construction input through design development technical submittals RFIs working drawings change and field coordination.

Challenge proposals to improve safety standardisation buildability maintainability schedule certainty and total cost.

Coordinate CSA MEP controls security fire utilities and OFCI/CFCI interfaces across buildings and common infrastructure.

Ensure design procurement and construction readiness gates are evidence-based and programme aligned.

Stakeholder Management

Act as the senior construction contact onsite and represent VIRTUS with customers contractors authorities and strategic partners.

Ensure effective communication and alignment across all parties involved in campus delivery.

Provide concise evidence-based reporting and escalate issues early with impact options recommendation owner and decision date.

Build and coach a high-performing accountable campus team with clear objectives and role boundaries.

Build strong working relationships with internal stakeholders contractors clients consultants and suppliers.

Capture and implement lessons learned standards and repeatable productivity improvements.

Commissioning and Handover

Integrate commissioning from the start including system boundaries turnover sequence energisation testing witnessing and operational readiness criteria.

Ensure completion snagging quality records O&M information training spares asset data and statutory documentation meet acceptance criteria.

Coordinate phased handover to Commissioning and Operations including safe access and live-site controls.

Drive defect close-out and transfer lessons learned into subsequent campus phases.

Commercial Contract and Supply Chain Management

Provide senior oversight of General Contractors and key delivery partners.

Hold contractors consultants and vendors accountable for scope milestones quality reporting and corrective actions.

Review contractor and vendor performance quarterly and ensure issues are addressed quickly and effectively.

Work with Commercial and PMO teams on forecasting payments change variations claims delay analysis contingency and final account strategy.

Support the commercial team in managing variations claims delays and contractor performance issues.

Identify and allocate scope gaps exclusions assumptions and interface responsibilities early.

Support sourcing bid evaluation contract strategy and mobilisation for major packages and long-lead equipment.

Qualifications:

Bachelors degree in Construction Management Civil Engineering Mechanical/Electrical Engineering Project Management or a related technical discipline.

A recognised professional qualification in project or programme management such as PMP PRINCE2 APM or equivalent is desirable.

Relevant professional accreditation in construction or engineering such as Chartered Engineer RICS CIOB or equivalent would be advantageous.

Job Specification:

Essential Experience

Minimum 12 years of progressive construction leadership experience in large scale or hyper scale data centres mission-critical or comparable complex infrastructure.

Proven delivery leadership for multi-building or phased campus programmes of comparable scale and complexity.

Experience leading Senior Project Managers General Contractors consultants specialist contractors and major equipment vendors.

Experience in managing internal senior leadership / executive stakeholders.

Full lifecycle experience from pre-construction and enabling works through CSA and MEP delivery commissioning handover and operational readiness.

Strong critical-path interface recovery commercial change claims and executive reporting experience.

Experience managing high-risk works energisation phased handover and work adjacent to live environments.

Germany-Specific and Complementary Experience

Proven construction delivery experience in Germany ideally on data centres industrial energy or mission-critical infrastructure.

Working knowledge of German planning and building-control processes BImSchG permitting interfaces BauGB and state building regulations.

Practical familiarity with BGB VOB/B and HOAI interfaces and the ability to work with local Legal and Commercial advisers.

Understanding of German energy-efficiency and environmental requirements relevant to data centres including renewable electricity and waste-heat considerations.

Experience coordinating grid connections substations utilities fire authorities environmental bodies and statutory inspections.

Fluent German (preferable) and English able to chair technical and commercial meetings negotiate and report.

Skills and Competencies

Visible decisive construction leadership with commitment to safety quality and accountability.

Strong CSA MEP controls critical systems commissioning and operational readiness knowledge.

Ability to operate strategically and operationally while identifying issues before they become programme-critical.

Exceptional contractor stakeholder and interface management across organisations and cultures.

Commercial judgement negotiation skill and confidence to challenge weak plans or performance constructively.

Clear communication disciplined governance concise executive reporting and data-led decision-making.

Role Requirements

Campus-based presence in Germany with travel to Berlin HQ and other European locations as required.

Flexibility to support critical works energisation commissioning and escalation outside normal hours.

Any other reasonable duties consistent with the seniority and purpose of the role.

In line with VIRTUS Vetting Policy the successful applicant must be willing to undergo a BS7858 screening process.

VIRTUS is an equal opportunity employer. As part of our commitment to fight for equality we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.

We reserve the right to close this post for applications should sufficient applications be received.

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